Suit-case.



B. F. BECKER.

SUIT CASE. AVPPLIOATION FILD NOV. 6, 1911.

Patented Apr. 16, 1912.

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cuLUMBlA PLANonR/PH co., WASHINGTON. DA c.

B. F. BECKER.

SUIT OASE.

APPLICATION FILED Nov: e, 1911.

Patented Apr. 16, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

13.1". BECKER. SUIT CASE.

APPLIQATIONIILEDIOV. 6, 1911.

Patented Apr. 16, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

BENJA-MIN F. BECKER, OF GLENCOE, ILLINOIS..

SUIT-CASE.

Application filed November 6, 1911.

To all whom 'it may concer/t.'

Be it known thatI, BENJAMIN F. BECKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Glencoe, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Suit-Cases, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to suit cases and other similar receptacles, and the invention has for its ob]- ect, generally speaking, to provide a suit case, or the like, which is very inexpensive to manufacture and at the same time strong, durable and sightly in appearance.

In the manufacture of suit cases of the cheaper sort in which the parts of the case, the body, the metal frame and the covering, are secured together by gluing, riveting, and the like, a saving in manufacturing cost can be brought about only by either decreasing the amount of labor expended or by simplifying the operations performed so that the degree of skill required is lessened.

My present invention has reference partic ularly to the construction of the case proper or box, the cover being of any suitable well known construction, and the specific object of the invention is to provide certain novel structures and arrangements of the parts go ing to make up the metal frame and the bevel, that is the off-set upper edge of the box over which the balance of the cover tits whereby, in the rst place, certain operations which have heretofore had to be pe-rformed o n the case or box when set up in box-like form, are carried out with the material fiat; and whereby, in the second place, the rivets can be driven through the metal and through the other parts of the case by a single operation in a riveting machine without first perforating the metal as has been customary. As a result my invention has materially reducedv the amount of labor and also the degreev of skill required in manufacturing suit cases of the cheaper sort. At the same time the suit case produced is just as strong and durable as those heretofore put on the market, while a marked improvement is made in the appearance of the article by hiding or covering certain parts of the metal frame formerly exposed, as will be hereinafter described, this feature giving the suit case more the appearance of the high grade expensive articles.

Speclcation of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 16, 1912. Serial No. 658,728.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein- Figure 1 is a view, in perspective, of the finished article; Fig. 2, a view, in perspective, of the blank of cardboard, or the like, forming the body portion of the box or case; Fig. 3, a vertical sectional view taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 4, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 4, a sectional plan taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a fragmentary perspective view of one of the metal frame members, Fig. 6, a view, in perspective, of the case or box in incomplete condition, illustrating the method of constructing the same, Fig. 7, a fragmentary view of the corner of a case or box illustrating a modification; and Fig. 8, a sectional view illust-rating another modification.

Like characters of reference designate the same parts inthe several figures of the drawings.

The construction of the bbx or case can be best understood by reference to Fig. 6 which shows the composite blank which is first put together in the flat and then bent up and its meeting edges secured together to form the case. 10 designates a piece of cardboard constituting the body of the box, formed with the end and side flaps 11. The upper portions of the meeting edges of the latter are cut on the diagonal so that when the box is set up the inwardly inclined margins 12 of the end and side flaps form the bevel over which fits the valance 13 of the cover 14. The cover may be of any desired construction, the present invention being concerned entirely with the construction of the case proper or box. Glued or otherwise secured to the flaps 11 are reinforcing pieces 15 and between these and the flaps are inserted the sheet metal frame members 16 which, in the preferred construction shown, are formed at their outer edges with the flanges 17 inclosing the upper edges of the reinforcing pieces 15. The flanges 17 when bent down on the'reinforcing pieces form beads which give strength and rigidity to the frame members. If desired the flanges may be omitted. Obviously, if desired, a single reinforcing piece might be used instead of the four separate pieces shown. The covering for the box preferably consists of a single piece of suitable covering material 18 cut in the same shape as the blank 10 with its outer edges preferably extending around the edges of the side and end flaps and their reinforcing pieces as is best shown at 19 in Figs. 3 and 7 The operations above described are performed with the material fiat. When they are accomplished the composite blank is bent along the lines a, o so as to bring the meeting edges of the sides and ends together and form a box with an inturned or beveled upper edge. The ends and sides are secured together preferably by means of the corner pieces 20 which extend from top to bottom of the box and may overlap the upper edges of the same as indicated at 21. The corner pieces are secured to the box by rivets 22, some of which preferably extend through the bevel so that they unite together the four frame members 16 forming of them a rigid rectangular framework.

It has been customary in manufacturing the cheaper grades of suit cases to first construct the metal framework and afterward secure it to the cardboard body of the box and after this is done put on the covering. This means that most of the necessary operations have to be performed after the box has been set up. The structural character and design of my box make it Aossible to very nearly complete the article 1n the flat. After the ends and sides have been bent up it is only necessary to att-ach the corner pieces and put on any trimmings that may be needed.

The employment of the reinforcing pieces 11 and the arrangement of the metal frame members between the reinforcing pieces and the end and side flaps of the body have several advantages. The metal frame is completely covered yso that the finished article, along the bevel, presents very much the appearance of a high grade expensive suit case. Further than this, the riveting operation is facilitated. I/Vith the cardboard reinforcing piece intervening asa cushion the rivets can bedriven through the metal frame members with an ordinary riveting machine without first perforating themas has been customary. If desired the box may be lined with a paper or other lining 23 which may be put on either before or after the box is set up.

In Fig. 7 I have shown aslightly modied construction. Here the s ides and bottom of the box are formed with flaps 24 which overlap and are secured to the ends 25. The parts making up the bevel are secured together by corner pieces 26.

In Fig. 8 I have shown the frame member 16a asreversed so that its flange 17a overlaps the body 10a and covering 18a instead of the reinforcing piece 15a. While this gives a metal finished edge to the bevel which is not so desirable as having the metal frame covered, it makes the fitting and attachment of the covering easier. The frame member 15a is wider than in the other form of case and is bent in forming the bevel.l 'Obviously the width might be varied as desired.

While I have described my invention as embodied in certain preferred forms, it will be obvious to those skilled in this art that further modifications might be made without departing from my invention. Therefore I do not limit myself to the precise constructions and arrangements shown except as the same are made limitations on certain of the claims herein, my invention being to cover all the features of the structure shown, both broadly and narrowly, which are patentable in view of the state of the prior art.

I cla-im:

l. A composite blank for a suit case, or the like, comprising a body provided with flaps to form the ends and sides'of the case, the corners of said iaps being formed on the diagonal to provide the bevel of the case, an outer covering, reinforcing pieces for the flaps, and metal frame members secured between the margins of said iaps and the reinforcing pieces which are arranged so that they may be united when the case is set up to form a rigid metal frame for the same.

2. A composite blank for a suit case, or

the like, comprising a body provided with the diagonal to provide the'bevel of the case,

an outer covering, and metal frame members secured to the margins of said flaps so that they may be united when the case is set up to form a rigid metal frame for the same.

3. A composite blank for a suit case, or the like, .comprising a body provided with flaps to form the ends `and sides of the case, the corners of said fiaps being cut off on the diagonal to form the bevel of the case, reinforcing pieces for the flaps, sheet metal frame members secured between the margins of said iaps and the reinforcing pieces with their outer margins bent over so as to overlap the edges of said reinforcing pieces, and an outer cover which 'extends around the edges of said flaps, frame members and reinforcing pieces, substantially as described.

BENJAMIN F. BECKER.

Witnesses:

P. TRUMAN, L. A. FALKENBERG.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

